Notice of Privacy Practices

Who this notice covers

This notice applies to Total Family Care, LLC and the members of its workforce who use or handle protected health information for the clinic. It covers protected health information in paper, electronic and other forms. The public website's separate privacy policy describes browsing the website; it does not replace this notice.

Your rights

To exercise any of these rights, call (601) 515-4949 or write to the Privacy Officer at the address above. Ask reception to route your request to the Privacy Officer. We will explain any required request form or written information and verify your identity.

See or obtain your records. You may request access to health information in your designated record set and obtain a paper or electronic copy. Contact our privacy contact for instructions. We generally act on requests within 30 days, subject to extensions and exceptions allowed by law. We may charge only permitted, reasonable, cost-based fees. If access is denied, we will explain the reason and any available review rights.

Request a correction. You may ask us to amend information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. We generally respond within 60 days, subject to a permitted extension. If we deny the request, we will explain in writing and tell you how to submit a statement of disagreement.

Request confidential communications. You may ask to receive communications at a different address or by a different method. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Request limits on sharing. You may ask us to restrict certain uses or disclosures for treatment, payment or healthcare operations. We are not required to agree to every request. If you pay for a healthcare item or service out of pocket in full and ask us not to disclose it to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, we must honor that restriction unless disclosure is required by law. Tell us about that request before the information is submitted to your insurer.

Receive an accounting of disclosures. You may request a list of certain disclosures made during the preceding six years. The list excludes disclosures the law exempts, including many disclosures for treatment, payment and healthcare operations and disclosures you authorized. One accounting in a 12-month period is free; a permitted fee may apply to additional requests.

Receive this notice on paper. You may ask for a paper copy at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

Have a representative act for you. A person with valid legal authority, such as an authorized personal representative, may exercise rights on your behalf. We will verify the person's authority and apply any legal exceptions.

Make a complaint. If you believe your privacy rights were violated, contact our privacy contact using the telephone or address above. You may also complain to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights through HHS's complaint instructions. We will not retaliate against you for making a complaint.

How information may be used and shared

We may use or disclose protected health information for the following purposes, subject to applicable legal limits:

• Treatment: Providing, coordinating or managing your care, including sharing relevant information with other treating professionals and laboratories. For example, we may send relevant information to a laboratory performing a test or to another clinician treating you.
• Payment: Obtaining payment for care, checking coverage and handling billing with insurers or other responsible payers, subject to applicable restrictions. For example, we may send your insurer information about a visit so it can process the claim.
• Healthcare operations: Managing the clinic, reviewing care quality, training the workforce and carrying out other permitted operational activities. For example, we may review records to check the quality of care or train staff involved in your care. Service providers that handle information for us must meet applicable privacy and security requirements.
• Communications about care: Appointment reminders and information about treatment alternatives or health-related services where permitted by law.
• Public health and safety: Required reporting, prevention or control of disease, product recalls, adverse reactions, suspected abuse or neglect, and reducing a serious threat, within the conditions the law sets.
• Legal and oversight purposes: Disclosures required by law; authorized health oversight; workers' compensation; qualifying law-enforcement requests; certain government functions; and qualifying judicial or administrative proceedings. A request alone does not override applicable privacy restrictions.
• Other legally permitted purposes: Qualifying research, organ and tissue donation, and appropriate disclosures to coroners, medical examiners or funeral directors, only when the legal conditions are met. Listing a legally permitted purpose does not mean the clinic conducts that activity.

Your choices and written permission

We may share relevant information with family, friends or others involved in your care or payment when you agree or do not object, as the law permits. If you cannot express your wishes, we may use professional judgment about your best interests. We may also make qualifying disclosures for disaster relief.

Uses or disclosures that require written authorization will occur only with that authorization. These include most uses of psychotherapy notes and uses or disclosures for marketing or the sale of protected health information when authorization is required. Other uses and disclosures not described in this notice will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.

If we contact you for permitted fundraising, you may tell us not to contact you again for that purpose.

Additional protection for substance-use-disorder records

If we receive or maintain substance-use-disorder records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, we follow its additional protections. These records, and testimony describing their contents, may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your specific written consent or a qualifying court order. Before a qualifying order is issued, you or the holder of the records must receive notice and an opportunity to be heard as Part 2 requires. An order authorizing disclosure must also be accompanied by a subpoena or another legal requirement compelling disclosure. If we intend to use Part 2 records for fundraising, we will first give you clear notice and an opportunity to choose not to receive those communications.

Additional protections under state law

Where Mississippi law gives particular records additional protection, we follow those limits. For example, certain mental-health and alcohol-treatment records can be released only with the required consent or under the specific treatment, court-order, reporting or other exceptions that apply to those records. Legal requests remain subject to any applicable patient privilege.

Our responsibilities and changes to this notice

We must protect the privacy of your protected health information, provide this notice, follow the notice currently in effect, and notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information when the law requires it.

We may change this notice and make the revised terms apply to information we already maintain, as permitted by law. The current notice will be available in the office, on our website and on request. A revised notice will identify its effective date.

Portal access

Total Family Care uses athenahealth for patient portal access. You may sign in to the patient portal or call the clinic for help. Portal access does not limit your rights to request records through other available methods. Do not send sensitive medical information to the clinic's general-inquiry email address.

Communication assistance

For free language assistance or disability-related communication aids and accessible formats, call (601) 515-4949 or tell reception. Read our language and accessibility assistance notice.